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John Galliano Takes Zara Into Haute Couture Territory

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John Galliano’s first collection for Zara starts with something most fashion collaborations do not: existing clothes. Rather than designing the collection entirely from scratch, Galliano took garments from Zara’s previous collections and reworked them through cutting, resizing, reconstruction and digital manipulation.

Titled Re{form} Zara Authored by the Couturier John Galliano, the collection launches on October 1, 2026, as the first instalment of a two-year creative partnership between Galliano and Zara. The agreement covers four collections.

The first release spans outerwear, dresses, T-shirts, suiting, knitwear, lingerie and accessories. In the US, it will be available online, with prices starting at $29.90.

How John Galliano’s Zara Collaboration Began

Photo: Steven Meisel

Galliano first met Marta Ortega Pérez, the non-executive chair of Inditex, in 2022 through the MOP Foundation in A Coruña, Spain.

In autumn 2022, Galliano and his longtime partner, Alexis Roche, travelled to A Coruña for an exhibition of Steven Meisel’s work at the foundation. Meisel has been closely associated with Galliano’s career, including his 1994 American Vogue portfolio.

During the visit, Ortega Pérez asked Galliano whether he would consider a collaboration with Zara. His initial response was no. At the time, he was still creative director of Maison Margiela, a role he had held since 2014.

After leaving Margiela in 2024, Galliano and Ortega Pérez remained in contact. During a later lunch, he introduced the idea that became Re{form}, and Ortega Pérez agreed to move forward with it.

The project began in January 2026 in an atelier somewhere around Paris. Galliano was drawn to Zara’s technical capabilities, particularly its fabric sourcing and manufacturing infrastructure.

Galliano Reworks Zara’s Existing Garments

Photo: Steven Meisel

Galliano describes the garments he worked with as Zara’s “archives”, although they were essentially existing pieces that became his working prototypes.

The starting points included a long wool-mix coat, a slip dress and a cotton shirt. Galliano and his team cut, pressed, turned and reconstructed the garments, asking how each could be altered and represented differently.

A wool-mix coat is cut at the front, with its pockets pushed further towards the back, while its lapels are extended and its tails lengthened down the leg.

A lace-trimmed slip dress is moved upwards on the body until it becomes an elaborate jabot around the neck.

A Zara shirt enlarged to triple or quadruple XL proportions becomes a jacket after being printed with a trompe l’oeil leather pattern. Elsewhere, pockets are twisted and repositioned to alter the way the garments sit on the body.

Other transformations include a coat reworked into a net dress with faux-fur trims, a shirt enlarged three times its original size to resemble a leather coat, two pairs of trousers cut and repurposed into sans-culotte pants and a lace shift dress transformed into a ruffled collar.

The process incorporates physical and digital “hacking”, shrinking, magnifying, swatching and splicing.

The Historical References Behind Re{form}

The collection draws heavily on Les Incroyables and Les Merveilleuses, the dandies and women associated with post-Revolutionary France.

The reference is familiar territory for Galliano. His 1984 Central Saint Martins graduation collection was titled Les Incroyables and was inspired by the same historical figures.

In Re{form}, the influence appears through overcoats, breeches and frock coats, while the collection places the references in contemporary settings and combinations.

Other pieces include bias-cut gowns, technical tailoring and transparent layers of tulle, alongside beribboned bonnets, cravats and bicorne hats.

The headwear also references Abel Gance’s 1927 film Napoléon, one of Galliano’s favourite films.

A Couture Approach Without Being Haute Couture

Photo: Steven Meisel

Re{form} is not a traditional haute couture collection. Its connection to couture comes through the construction, manipulation and treatment of the garments.

Galliano describes the result in terms of achieving “almost haute couture posturings”, using Zara’s existing pieces as the foundation.

The collection also brings together elements associated with Galliano’s wider design vocabulary, including bias-cut silhouettes, historical dress references, exaggerated proportions and reconstructed garments.

The price point remains that of a Zara collaboration rather than a couture collection. US prices start at $29.90, while the collection’s UK starting price is £17.99.

For context, a Galliano couture piece created for Dior sold for €663,000 in January 2026, setting a record for a couture garment.

Steven Meisel Photographs the Campaign

Photo: Steven Meisel

Steven Meisel photographed the campaign for Re{form}, continuing his longstanding creative relationship with Galliano.

Their history includes the 1994 American Vogue portfolio that helped Galliano secure the financial backing to stage his all-black autumn/winter show that same year.

For the Zara project, Meisel photographed the collection’s reconstructed garments and the historical references running through the designs.

Galliano’s Return to Fashion

The Zara partnership follows Galliano’s departure from Maison Margiela in 2024.

In 2011, he was dismissed from Dior following antisemitic and racist remarks made at a Paris café. He subsequently entered rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction.

He later worked on Oscar de la Renta’s Fall 2013 collection before joining Maison Margiela as creative director in 2014. He remained at the house for a decade before leaving in December 2024.

Zara announced its two-year creative partnership with Galliano in March 2026. The collaboration marked his return to a major design project after his departure from Margiela.

Galliano has described his career in three acts: the first three decades, from Central Saint Martins through his Dior years; his decade at Maison Margiela; and Re{form}, which he considers the beginning of his third act.

What Comes Next

The October collection is the first of four releases planned during Galliano’s two-year partnership with Zara.

The project establishes a specific design process: existing Zara garments become prototypes that can be cut, enlarged, reduced, repositioned and reconstructed rather than simply reproduced.

 

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Fashion

Kendall Jenner Closes Out Bottega Veneta Show

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Photo: Getty images

Kendall Jenner was the final model on the runway at Bottega Veneta’s Spring/Summer 2027 show in Milan on September 26, wearing an all-black look. Sitting in the front row was actor Jacob Elordi, the Bottega Veneta ambassador and Jenner’s boyfriend, who watched as she made her way down the runway.

Jenner wore a floor-length black gown with an asymmetrical, draped construction. The dress gathered at the bodice and hips, with a long panel falling down one side and a pronounced shoulder adding volume to the look. She paired the dress with black open-toe heels and wore her hair straight and centre-parted.

Photo: Getty images

Her appearance marked a return to the Bottega Veneta runway. Jenner first walked for the Italian house in 2016, making her latest appearance there a decade after her first show for the brand.

The runway moment also came at the end of Louise Trotter’s latest collection for Bottega Veneta. For Spring/Summer 2027, Trotter looked at the transition between seasons, exploring the point between heavier winter dressing and the lighter clothes associated with spring and summer.

That idea played out through the clothes and materials. The collection opened with outerwear featuring padded shoulders and knotted hems, followed by looks in lilac, butter yellow, red and floral prints. Later, handmade lace, openwork crochet and large-scale intrecciato brought lighter textures into the collection, while leather remained an important part of the lineup.

Bottega Veneta’s signature intrecciato weave also appeared in different forms, including leather scarves wrapped around the waist, woven boots and large bags. Trotter also expanded the use of raffia and leather for oversized tote shapes, adding a softer, more summery feel to the house’s familiar craftsmanship.

The show attracted a notable front row, with Elordi seated alongside Solange and Tyler, the Creator. Julianne Moore was also among the guests in attendance. Elordi has represented Bottega Veneta as a brand ambassador since 2024.

Photo: Getty images

Elordi’s attention was particularly noticeable when Jenner appeared on the runway. Footage from the show showed the actor using a film camera to photograph her as she walked past. His interest in photography is well documented, and he has been seen with a collection of vintage film cameras and regularly photographs friends and behind-the-scenes moments.

Jenner and Elordi were first linked in April 2026 after being seen together around Coachella. The pair have since been spotted together in Hawaii, Los Angeles, Australia and London. The pair had been getting to know each other privately before their relationship became public.

This time, however, the two found themselves at the centre of attention from opposite sides of the Bottega Veneta runway, with Jenner closing the show and Elordi watching from the front row.

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Teyana Taylor Stars in Calvin Klein Bra Campaign

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Photo: Instagram/@ Calvin Klein

Teyana Taylor fronts Calvin Klein’s new Perfectly Fit Custom Lift campaign, starring in the brand’s Fall 2026 underwear campaign for its latest bra. She has now joined the list of stars who have previously appeared in campaigns for the brand, including Kate Moss, Dakota Johnson and Kendall Jenner.

Directed by Gordon von Steiner, the campaign video includes a full-out choreography set to Tina Turner’s “The Best.” It begins in an empty conference room as a chair slides out from a table, Taylor removes her bathrobe to reveal the brand’s latest collection. She dances on and around a chair in a Flashdance-inspired routine, wearing Calvin Klein underwear with white ankle socks and penny loafers.

Photo: Instagram/@ Calvin Klein

The Perfectly Fit collection comes in three different silhouettes: the Perfectly Fit Custom Lift Demi Bra, Wirefree Triangle Bra and Lace Push Up Bra. The bras feature personalized shaping and natural-looking lift, with the padding adjusts according to bra size. Smaller sizes get more lift, while larger sizes use less padding for a more proportional level of support.

Photo: Instagram/@ Calvin Klein

Speaking about the collection, Taylor said she needs something that can keep up with her whether she is on a red carpet, performing, running around with her kids or simply at home. She said the bra gives her the lift and support she wants while still allowing her to move and feel comfortable.

For Taylor, the campaign was a personal milestone. In an interview with ELLE, she spoke about always wanting to be part of a Calvin Klein campaign, especially after growing up and seeing the brand’s iconic advertisements. She recalled being inspired by Kate Moss’s Calvin Klein campaigns and also cited Sarah Pidgeon’s portrayal of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in ‘Love Story’ as a fashion reference.

Photo: Instagram/@ Calvin Klein

The actress also mentioned that during the shoot, she had to climb a 20-foot incline while dancing and moving in the Calvins. She said she would take little breaks during filming to process the fact that the moment she had dreamed about was actually happening.

Jonathan Bottomley, Calvin Klein’s chief marketing officer, spoke about the campaign, saying “The strongest campaigns start with the strongest product. With Perfectly Fit Custom Lift, we took one of our signature bras and made it even better through thoughtful innovation. Teyana was the perfect partner to tell that story: she brings an authenticity and creative energy that feels uniquely her, while naturally embodying the confidence and sensuality that have always defined Calvin Klein. The campaign builds on our visual identity while keeping our iconic product at the center.”

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Donatella Versace Launches New Brand With Revolve Group

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Photo: Getty images

Donatella Versace is returning to the creative side of fashion with a new venture spanning fashion and beauty, developed in partnership with Los Angeles-based Revolve Group. Versace will serve as chief creative officer of the new venture.

The independent business will be built around Versace’s personal creative vision and is intended to connect with a younger generation through style, culture, entertainment and digital commerce.

The announcement comes more than a year after Versace stepped down as chief creative officer of the Versace fashion house in March 2025, a position she had held since the death of her brother, Gianni Versace, in 1997. She subsequently became the brand’s chief brand ambassador.

Photo: Instagram/@celeb245

Versace’s departure from the creative role came during a broader repositioning of the fashion house under Capri Holdings.

Prada Group completed its acquisition of Versace in December 2025, bringing the fashion house under new ownership after a period of creative change. Dario Vitale had taken over from Versace as creative director, but left the role after one season, with Pieter Mulier later appointed as his successor.

Her latest project gives Versace a separate platform to develop her own creative direction across fashion and beauty. The new venture will also benefit from Revolve’s established digital platform and reach across international markets.

Founded by Michael Mente and Mike Karanikolas in 2003, Revolve Group has grown into a major online fashion and lifestyle retailer, with its Revolve platform focused on established brands and Fwrd dedicated to emerging labels. The company reported $1.23 billion in revenue in 2025.

Revolve has moved into beauty and other areas through partnerships with figures including Cardi B and Sofia Richie Grainge.

For the new venture, Revolve says its technology, infrastructure and global reach will support Versace’s creative direction. The project is intended to operate independently rather than as an extension of the existing Versace fashion house.

At 71, Versace remains a highly recognisable figure in fashion and popular culture. With more than 12 million followers on Instagram, Versace remains a familiar face to younger fashion audiences, who continue to engage with her signature style and extensive archive.

Her influence has also extended into contemporary celebrity fashion. Zendaya recently wore a 2016 Atelier Versace design during the Spider-Man: Brand New Day press tour, while Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Lopez have both revisited archival Versace looks for major public appearances.

Lopez’s connection to the house goes even further back, the green Versace dress she wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards became one of the most recognisable red-carpet looks in fashion history and is widely associated with the development of Google Image Search.

The new brand will initially target markets across the United States, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Its name has not yet been revealed.

Photo: Getty images

The first products are expected to arrive in 2027, with the project set to extend beyond traditional fashion collections into entertainment and other areas of culture.

For Versace, the partnership marks a new chapter in her career, bringing together her longstanding creative identity with Revolve’s digital capabilities and international platform.

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